Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
The Miami Valley’s Anne Sheehan, who launched her Acknowledging Acts Of Kindness Club in 2019, offers these 25 suggestions for helping us — and others — get through these challenging months:
❤️1. Younger people can grocery shop for seniors or those who are homebound. Shop online, pick up the groceries and deliver them to a senior’s front door.
❤️2. Deliver books and puzzles to seniors and others.
❤️3. Organize a neighborhood prayer chain — everyone praying at a certain time of day. Set the daily time via email to neighbors.
❤️4. Share any abundance of fresh or frozen groceries.
❤️5. Check in with neighbors, even if not elderly, via email or phone.
❤️6. Offer to pick up medications at a drive-up pharmacy window for the elderly or the homebound.
❤️7. Send email jokes to out-of-town friends and family. It cheers them up!
❤️8. Send cards to neighbors, grandparents, friends. It’s always great to get mail!
❤️9. If the elderly have a pet, offer to walk the pet for them or pick up pet food.
❤️10. Be positive about the future when talking/emailing. Positivity breeds a positive outlook. This will pass and we will get through this together.
❤️11. Children’s artwork cheers anyone up. Have your children or grandchildren make artwork for neighbors or those at a nursing home. Ask neighbors to hang the artwork in a front window of their house to show your street is working together.
❤️12. Take the time to call/write/email those friends/relatives you have been meaning to contact.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
❤️13. If you know how to sew, make a colorful mask for others. You can match it to their special interests, favorite colors. Anne Estes, 81, of Lewisburg, has made and given away more than 1,500 masks!
❤️14. When you see someone walking outside, getting their mail or morning paper, give them a big smile and tell them how good they look and how good it is to see them.
❤️15. Share a pot of homemade soup or a yummy dessert with others.
❤️16. Share DVDs of good movies, especially if a neighbor/friend/family member does not have cable.
❤️17. Weather permitting, encourage all to go for a short walk outside each day. Fresh air does wonders. This can be done with social distancing.
❤️18. If you feel you should not interact with someone but want to keep in touch, FaceTime or Zoom with them.
Credit: Shutterstock
Credit: Shutterstock
❤️19. Recommend a funny TV show you like so others can watch it and laugh.
❤️20. Find/recommend groups you can play online card games with. Fun and a great time-filler.
❤️21. Play a trivia game with neighbors via email. Send trivia questions and give a time frame to answer!
❤️22. Forgiveness is a wonderful act of kindness. If you’ve been on the “outs” with someone, email or text asking forgiveness.
❤️23. Distribute any craft items/coloring books/computer games to families with children.
❤️24. When ordering take-out food, see if an elderly neighbor would like to order, too. Pick it up and deliver it to them.
❤️25. Say “I Love You” every day to those close to you.
If you’d like to have some of Anne Sheehan’s free cards to acknowledge others who perform a kind act, check out her website: www.aaokdayton.org
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith.moss@coxinc.com.
Please include a daytime phone number and a photo that reflects your group’s mission.
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